Folk Festival, Bangor Fair combined?

August 28, 2008 7:36 pm

This week, ClickBack asked readers about the American Folk Festival in Bangor and the potential for developing tidal power in Maine. To see the comments of editorial page readers on these and other questions, visit the BDN’s redesigned Web site and used the “Opinion” pull-down menu to find ClickBack.

ClickBack is off next week for the Labor Day holiday, but look for ClickBack questions each Tuesday through Election Day in the editorial column. Each week, at least one election-related question will be posed. The ClickBack feature is an opportunity for BDN editorial page readers to engage in thoughtful discourse on the candidates and the issues.

Readers also are encouraged to pose their own questions in the ClickBack section of the Web site.

Some comments may be featured on Friday’s OpEd page.

Is the American Folk Festival continuing to grow?

The Folk Festival continues to be a great end-of-summer draw. I enjoyed all the music this year, but more international musicians and more dance would make the Festival even better.

— javacat

It sounds like the Festival has the potential of replacing the somewhat dated and too money oriented Bangor Fair. Maybe they could be beneficially combined by taking the best elements of both?

— David889327

The Bangor Fair draws people to it, but it seems attendance numbers dwindle each year. It would seem to me people enjoy entertainment such as the American Folk Festival, rather than the Bangor Fair. Even those popular entertainment programs the fair incorporates could be merged to the American Folk Festival. If I had my choice, I would only attend the American Folk Festival in Bangor. I’ll bet that the food is better, it is cleaner, more well-managed, more “open” to the public, better parking facilities, available EMT services and better entertainment than the fair can ever offer! Seems the basket donation efforts are preplanned, too, by reading the report in the BDN. Yeah, folks … the American Folk Festival is much, the better choice!

— Johninphilippines

Should Maine be going great guns for tidal power?

We utilize both wind and tidal power in the Philippines, and there seem to be no problems in them working together, in different areas, generating power to all areas of the Philippines where each type of power is considered to be the most adequate and effective means. Maine has a natural environment for both wind and water power. Go for it!